Word or phrase 

Description 

Abstraction (visual arts) 

An approach that emphasises the use of fundamental elements, such as form, colour, and texture, in order to express emotion or create a purely aesthetic experience, rather than depicting recognisable subjects. 

Action (drama) 

An element of drama referring to what happens in a performance, that is, the physical and emotional movement that drives the story forward. 

Accent 

A musical instruction that tells the performer to play a note stronger or louder than the others around it. It adds emphasis and helps shape the rhythm or expression of the music. 

Accelerando 

A tempo marking that means to gradually get faster. It tells performers to increase the speed of the music over time. 

Accidentals 

Accidentals are symbols in music that change a note from its normal pitch. The main accidentals are sharp (♯), flat (♭), and natural (♮). 

Alignment 

The arrangement of elements so they line up visually — either along edges, centres, or paths — to create order, balance, and connection in a design or artwork. 

Allegro 

A tempo marking indicating that a piece of music is to be played quickly and brightly. 

Andante 

A tempo marking indicating that a piece of music is to be played calmly and moderately slowly. 

Articulation 

How notes are to be played (e.g. staccato — shortened duration, detached; legato — smoothly, connected). 

Automation (music) 

The use of computer controls to change sound settings (like volume or effects) automatically during playback without needing to adjust them live. 

Aside 

A drama convention where a character speaks directly to the audience, revealing thoughts or feelings that are not heard by other characters on stage. It is used to provide insight, commentary, or dramatic irony within a performance. 

Balance (visual arts) 

The way elements are arranged in an artwork to create a sense of stability, which can be symmetrical, asymmetrical, or radial. 

Binary (music) 

Baroque  

A musical form with two distinct sections, usually labelled A and B, which often are repeated. 

A style of music from c.1600–1750, known for its ornate detail, contrast, and expressive ornamentation; composers include Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi. 

Blues (music) 

A musical genre and form originating among African Americans in the southern United States of America during the late nineteenth century. It often features a 12-bar chord progression, blue notes, and highly emotive vocal lines, subjects, and themes.  

Body (dance) 

One of the key elements of dance, referring to the use of the dancer’s body to communicate movement, shape, and expression. It includes aspects such as posture, gesture, body parts, locomotor and non-locomotor movement, and body awareness. 

Body percussion  

The use of the human body to produce rhythmic sounds through actions such as clapping, stomping, patting, and snapping. It is often used to explore rhythm, coordination, and musical expression without the use of instruments. 

Brass instrument  

A family of wind instruments made of metal that produce sound through the vibration of the player’s lips against a mouthpiece. Brass instruments include the trumpet, trombone, French horn, and tuba and are known for their bright, powerful tones. 

Cadence 

A sequence of chords that marks the end of a musical phrase or section, often creating a sense of pause or finality. 

Call and response 

A structural device where one group or individual performs or plays a piece of music and the second group or individual performs in response to the first. 

Canon (dance) 

A choreographic device where movements are performed in succession by different dancers. 

Capoeira 

A Brazilian art form that combines dance, music, and martial arts. It is performed with flowing movements, rhythm, and acrobatic skills, often in a circle called a roda, and expresses cultural identity and history. 

Choral (music genre) 

Music written to be sung by a choir. 

Chord 

Three or more notes sounding simultaneously.  

Choreographic devices  

Techniques used to shape and vary movement or action to create meaning in performance. 

Chorus (drama) 

A convention in which individuals or groups provide spoken explanation or commentary on the main action of drama. 

Chorus (music) 

A section of a song that repeats and usually contains the main musical and lyrical ideas. It contrasts with the verse and helps give the music its overall shape and structure. 

Classical (music genre) 

A broad genre of music, generally referring to art music from the Western world and often characterised by formality and its complex form.  

Clef 

A symbol at the start of sheet music that shows which notes go on which lines. The treble clef is used for high sounds, and the bass clef is used for low sounds. 

Colour (visual arts element) 

Expresses mood or meaning. Primary colours are red, yellow, and blue. Colours vary in tint (light/dark) and intensity (brightness). 

Colour theory 

A set of principles used to understand how colours work together, including how they mix, contrast, and create mood or harmony in artwork. 

Complementary colours 

Colours opposite each other on the colour wheel, a circle which shows relationships between different colours. 

Composition (music) 

The process of creating and organising sounds to make a piece of music. 

Composition (visual arts) 

The way shapes, colours, lines, textures, and space are arranged to make an artwork look balanced and interesting. 

Compound metre 

A musical metre where each beat of the bar divides into three equal parts. 

Contemporary (music) 

A broad category of modern music that incorporates elements from various styles, such as pop, rock, electronic, and hip hop. It is characterised by the use of current technologies, diverse cultural influences, and innovative approaches to composition and performance. 

Contrast (dance) 

A choreographic device that highlights differences in movement, dynamics, or emotion to create interest and variety. It can involve shifts in speed, energy, levels, or style. 

Contrast (drama) 

An element in drama used to highlight differences and create interest, tension, or emphasis. 

Contrast (music) 

A musical element that highlights differences between sections or ideas in a piece, such as changes in dynamics, tempo, pitch, rhythm, texture, or instrumentation.  

Contrast (visual arts) 

The use of strong differences such as light and dark, smooth and rough, or large and small to make parts of an artwork stand out or create visual interest. 

Conventions (drama) 

Established ways of working in drama that explore meaning or deepen understanding (e.g. role on the wall, freeze-frame, thought-tracking) or established practices in a performance (e.g. soliloquy, aside, frozen image, slow motion). 

Conventions (music) 

Established practices in creating, performing, and interpreting musical works. 

Conventions (visual arts) 

Recognised ways of working, representing, or organising visual elements that help communicate meaning in artworks. These may include use of perspective, framing, symbolism, or composition techniques. 

Crescendo  

A gradual increase in volume or intensity. 

Crotchet 

A quarter note, one of the basic note types used to represent rhythm, typically representing the time value of one beat. 

Crotchet rest 

A symbol in written music that shows one beat of silence. It is used in time signatures where the crotchet (or quarter note) is the basic unit of time. The performer does not play or sing during this beat. 

Cubism 

An art style where objects are broken into geometric shapes and shown from multiple angles at once, rather than from a single viewpoint. It often looks abstract and fragmented. 

Descant recorder 

A small, high-pitched recorder often used by beginners to learn melodies and notes. 

Devise (drama) 

To create and develop dramatic performance material through collaborative exploration, improvisation, and refinement of ideas, often without the use of a pre-written script. 

Diminuendo 

A gradual decrease in volume. 

Direction (dance)  

The path or orientation of movement in space. 

Drone 

A long, continuous note or sound that stays the same while other notes change around it. It creates a steady background or mood in music. 

Dominant 

The fifth note of a scale. It is important in harmony and often leads back to the tonic (the first note). 

Dorian 

A type of musical mode that sounds like a minor scale but with a brighter feel, due to a raised sixth note. 

Dynamics 

The varying levels of volume of sound in music, ranging from soft to loud. 

Echo 

A musical effect where a sound or phrase is repeated after the original, usually at a lower volume or with slight variation. It is used to create a sense of space, reflection, or emphasis, similar to how an echo works in nature. 

Elements (dance) 

The components of movement; see body, space, time, energy, and relationships. 

Elements (drama) 

The components used to convey meaning in drama, including time, role, action, focus, and tension. 

Elements (music) 

The components that make up music, including pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, texture, structure, and harmony.  

Elements (visual arts) 

The key components used to convey meaning in the visual arts; see line, mark-making, shape, colour, space, scale, and texture. 

Emphasis  

The principle of design that draws attention to a specific area or element in an artwork, making it stand out through contrast, placement, colour, or size. 

Energy (dance) 

The quality or force of movement. 

Faiva 

A Tongan term that refers to performance, especially dance, but also encompasses the broader realm of performance arts. It includes expressions of culture through movement, music, storytelling, and ceremonial display, often reflecting communal values, history, and identity. 

Fauvism 

An art style known for its bold, bright colours and simple shapes. Fauvist artists used colour to express emotion rather than to show things realistically. 

Flat (music) 

A symbol that means a note should be played slightly lower in pitch — just one step down from its usual sound. 

Fluency (music) 

The ability to play or sing music smoothly and confidently, without frequent mistakes or hesitation. 

Focus (drama) 

The deliberate direction of audience attention to a specific moment, character, or action on stage. It is the element of drama that ensures clarity and emphasis within a performance, guiding viewers to what is most significant at any given time. 

Focus (visual arts) 

The area or element within an artwork that draws the viewer’s attention and is intended to be the centre of interest. Artists use techniques such as contrast, placement, and detail to create focus and guide how the artwork is viewed. 

Folk music 

Traditional music that originates within communities, often passed down orally, reflecting the cultural stories, values, and everyday experiences of a people or region. 

Freeze-frame 

A convention in which the members of a group use their bodies to make an image capturing an idea, theme, or moment in time; also called a group sculpture or tableau. 

Form 

The structure or layout of a piece of music. It shows how different sections are arranged, such as repeating parts or contrasting ones. 

Form (visual arts) 

A particular field or genre within the visual arts (e.g. painting, printmaking), or the compositional structure of an artwork.  

Fortissimo 

To play very loudly. It is shown in music with the symbol ff and tells performers to use strong volume and energy. 

Genre  

A category or style of art, music, dance, drama, or literature that shares common features. Genres help group creative works based on similarities in form, content, or tradition. 

Harmony 

The simultaneous combination of two or more pitches, or different notes, to create a richer, fuller, and more complex sound.  

Hip Hop 

A dynamic street dance style featuring rhythmic, expressive movements, often improvised and performed to hip hop music. 

Homophonic 

A musical arrangement with one clear, dominant melody, supported by accompanying harmony, chords, or other voices that move together to create a unified sound. 

Ihi, Wehi, and Wana 

Ihi refers to the projection of a performer’s personal magnetism and passion. Wehi refers to the awe inspired by charismatic performers or performances. Wana refers to the excitement generated by a performer or performance. Together, they form the expectation for expressing a performance with artistic and technical proficiency. 

Improvisation (dance) 

Creating movement spontaneously, without choreography, often in response to stimuli or guided by emotion or music. 

Improvisation (drama) 

Spontaneous invention and development of drama without use of scripts or preparation. 

Improvisation (music) 

Spontaneous or semi-spontaneous musical creation; in jazz, improvisation is often based on the melody and harmony of an existing song or work. 

Inverted (music) 

When the order of notes in a chord is changed, so a different note is at the bottom. 

Interpretation 

Analysis or appreciation of meaning in an artwork by a viewer. 

Interval (music) 

An interval is the distance between two notes in pitch. It tells how far apart the notes are, either played together or one after the other. 

Kailo 

A traditional Tongan war dance modernly performed with wooden sticks or clubs. Originally used to prepare warriors for battle, it is now performed in communities to express pride, discipline, and cultural identity.  

Kapa haka 

Māori performing arts. 

Kawa 

Protocols and customs that guide expected behaviour and practices during certain ceremonies.  

Kōauau 

A traditional Māori flute made from wood, bone, or stone.  

Kōwhaiwhai 

Painted rafter patterns typically used in wharenui. They include flowing, symmetrical designs to represent stories, genealogy, and natural elements like plants and rivers. 

Kodály Method 

A way of teaching music that uses singing, hand signs, and rhythm symbols to help students learn pitch, rhythm, and musical skills. 

Lakalaka 

A formal Tongan dance performed by large groups of people, featuring sung poetry and synchronised movements that convey stories, values, and social messages. 

Layout (visual arts) 

The arrangement of visual elements in a composition. 

Level (dance) 

The height of movement (e.g. high, medium, low). 

Legato 

A tempo marking that means to play or sing notes smoothly and connected, with no gaps between them. It creates a flowing, gentle sound. 

Line (visual arts) 

Defines shapes, suggests movement, or expresses emotion (e.g. long, short, curved, broken). 

Locomotive 

A travelling movement in which the body is moved from one point to another.  

Major 

A type of scale or key that usually sounds bright, happy, or strong. Music written in a major key often feels positive or uplifting. 

Mana (visual arts) 

A person’s spiritual power, authority, and respect. In visual arts, mana can be expressed through symbols, materials, or stories that reflect strength, heritage, and cultural identity. 

Mandala 

A geometric design, often circular, that represents unity, balance, and harmony; traditionally used in spiritual and ritual contexts, especially in Hindu and Buddhist cultures. 

Maquette  

A small-scale model or rough version of a sculpture or artwork, used by artists to plan and test ideas before creating the final piece. 

Mark-making (visual arts) 

The process of creating lines, dots, patterns, or textures using tools and materials (scribbles, dabs, smudges, strokes). 

Mau rākau 

A traditional Māori martial art that involves the skilled use of rākau (weapons), especially the taiaha. It is both a physical and spiritual discipline, teaching combat techniques, cultural values, and respect. 

Mā'ulu'ulu 

A traditional Samoan group dance that uses graceful movements, singing, and storytelling to celebrate daily life and community. It is also performed in Tongan communities with distinct cultural and stylistic differences.  

Media (visual arts) 

Material or materials commonly used to make artworks (e.g. graphite, ink, paint, photographic paper, canvas), three-dimensional media (e.g. fibres, clay, wood), and time-based media (e.g. film, videotape). 

Melody 

A sequence of notes that sound pleasing or expressive and make up the main tune in a piece of music. 

Metronome 

A device that produces a sound at uniform intervals to help musicians maintain a consistent tempo. 

Mezzo forte 

A dynamic marking that means to play moderately loud. It is shown in music with the symbol mf and tells performers to use a strong but not overpowering sound. 

Mezzo piano 

A dynamic marking that means to play moderately soft. It is shown in music with the symbol mp and tells performers to play gently, but not as quietly as pianissimo. 

Metre 

The way beats are grouped in music, often shown by a time signature like 2/4, 3/4, or 4/4. It helps organize the rhythm and tells how many beats are in each bar. 

Mime 

A form of theatre performance without words or sounds in which action and character are suggested using gesture, movement, and facial expression. 

Minim 

A half note; refers to a musical beat that typically lasts for two beats or counts. 

Minor (music) 

A type of scale or key that often sounds sad, serious, or mysterious. Music written in a minor key usually feels more emotional or reflective than major. 

Mnemonics (music) 

Memory aids that help students remember musical concepts, often using phrases, patterns, or rhymes. 

Modulation 

The process of changing from one key to another within a piece of music, often to add variety or emotion. 

Modernism (visual arts) 

A broad movement in visual arts that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, characterised by a deliberate break from traditional styles and techniques. Modernist artists explored new ways of seeing and representing the world, often emphasising innovation, abstraction, and individual expression. 

Monophonic 

Describes music with a single melodic line and no harmony or accompaniment. 

Motif (dance) 

A movement or gesture that can be elaborated upon or developed in a variety of ways in the process of dance choreography. 

Motif (drama) 

A recurring idea or symbol in a performance. 

Motif (music) 

A brief, identifiable musical idea that may be repeated or developed throughout a work; a famous motif is the opening ‘da-da-da-dum’ of Beethoven’s fifth symphony. 

Motif (visual arts) 

A distinct, often repeating idea or feature within a two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or time-based artwork.  

Mural 

A large artwork painted or applied directly on to a wall, ceiling, or other permanent surface, often created to enhance public spaces or convey cultural, social, or historical themes. 

Narration  

A convention in which a person describes or comments on the action that occurs within a drama. 

Narrative arc 

The structure of a story from beginning to end. 

New Zealand modernism 

A style of art and design that developed in New Zealand during the mid-20th century, inspired by European modernist movements. It focused on bold shapes, abstract forms, and new ways of seeing the world, often blending international ideas with local culture and landscapes. 

Non-locomotive  

In-place movement (e.g. bending, stretching). 

Notation  

The writing down of a piece of music, or the written form itself. 

Octave 

The distance between one note and the next note with the same name, but higher or lower in pitch. The higher note sounds like the same note but at a different level. 

Ornamentation 

The use of extra notes or musical flourishes to decorate a melody and make it more expressive or interesting. 

Ostinato 

A repeated accompaniment pattern that can be rhythmic or melodic and that is maintained throughout a section or piece. 

Pātē 

A Samoan percussion instrument of the slit drum family, used in traditional Samoan music and dance. 

Pedal 

A repeated or sustained note, usually in the bass, while other parts of the music change around it. It helps create tension or support the harmony. 

Papier-mâché 

An arts and crafts technique that involves using pulped, pasted, or shredded paper and binding substances (e.g. flour and water, glue) to produce three-dimensional objects.  

Pentatonic 

Relating to a scale of five notes per octave. 

Perspective (visual arts) 

A technique used to create the illusion of depth and space in a drawing or painting, making flat images look three-dimensional. 

Phrase (dance) 

A short sequence of movements that expresses an idea or feeling and is similar to a sentence in writing. It is a building block of choreography. 

Phrase (music) 

A short section of music that sounds complete on its own, like a musical sentence. 

Pitch 

How high or low a sound is. 

Pianissimo 

A dynamic marking that means to play very softly. It is shown in music with the symbol pp and tells performers to use a gentle, quiet sound. 

Poi 

A traditional performance art that originated as a training tool for men, designed to enhance dexterity, flexibility, and hand speed in preparation for combat. Over time, it was adopted by women, who perform it as part of kapa haka, combining movement, music, and storytelling. 

Polyphonic 

The simultaneous combination of two or more tones or melodic lines in a piece of music.  

Polyrhythm 

When two or more different rhythms are played at the same time. 

Pop art 

A visual art movement originating in the 1950s that uses imagery from popular culture — such as advertising, comic books, and consumer goods — often characterised by bold colours and graphic styles. 

Pop music 

A music genre designed to have a broad appeal, be highly memorable, and be easy to dance to. It often features a verse–chorus structure with a simple melody and blends elements from a variety of other genres.  

Portrait  

An artwork that shows a person, usually focusing on their face and expression. Portraits can be painted, drawn, photographed, or sculpted and often aim to capture the personality or mood of the subject. 

Primary colours  

Red, blue, and yellow — cannot be made by mixing other colours. 

Printmaking 

An artmaking process that involves the use of premade blocks, stamps, and other printing matrices to transfer ink on to an art medium (e.g. paper, wood, canvas). 

Pulse  

Simple/compound, triple, and quadruple time using time signatures. 

Quaver 

A note that typically lasts for half a beat or count. 

Rallentando 

A tempo marking that means to gradually slow down the speed of the music. It helps create a sense of relaxation, suspense, or closure. 

Raranga 

The traditional Māori art of weaving, typically using harakeke (New Zealand flax), to create items such as mats, baskets, and panels, often rich in cultural meaning and symbolism. 

Relationship  

How dancers or performers interact with one another, objects, or the space around them. It includes aspects such as mirroring, contrasting, leading and following, and group formations and is used to communicate meaning and enhance choreography (e.g. copying a partner’s movements in dance, how two characters may be related in a drama). 

Repertoire (music) 

A collection of music associated with specific voices, instruments, and styles.  

Repetition (music) 

The use of the same musical idea more than once, creating structure, aiding memory, and conveying meaning. It is sometimes indicated by the use of a repeat sign.  

Repetition (visual arts) 

The use of the same shape, colour, line, or pattern more than once in an artwork to create rhythm, unity, or emphasis. 

Reverb 

An audio effect in live or recorded music, produced through physical or electronic means, which simulates the natural reverberation of sound. 

Rhythm (visual arts) 

A principle of design that creates a sense of movement or flow through the repetition of visual elements such as lines, shapes, colours, or textures. Rhythm guides the viewer’s eye across the artwork and can be regular, alternating, flowing, or progressive, depending on how the elements are arranged. 

Role-play 

A dramatic technique in which participants adopt and act out the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of a character or persona in a given situation in order to explore and represent experience from their perspective or viewpoint. 

Rondo 

A musical form that alternates a principal theme with contrasting themes (e.g. ABACA, ABACAB). 

Sāsā 

A Samoan dance in which rows of (often seated) dancers perform rapid, synchronised movements in time to the beating of slit drums, tins, or rolled mats.  

Scale (music) 

An ordered sequence of notes arranged by pitch, typically ascending or descending. Scales provide the tonal framework for melodies and harmonies. 

Scale (visual arts) 

The size of objects in relation to each other. 

Scores 

Written music, including notes, rhythms, and instructions for different instruments or voices. 

Secondary colours 

Green, orange, and purple — made by mixing primary colours. 

Self-portrait 

An artwork an artist creates of themselves, usually showing their face or body. It is a way for artists to explore their emotions and how they see themselves. 

Sequence (dance) 

A series of movements, longer than a phrase but shorter than a section of a dance.  

Sequence (drama) 

A series of connected actions, scenes, or movements arranged in a specific order. 

Sequence (music) 

The repetition of a musical phrase at a higher or lower pitch. 

Setting  

The context of a performance, including situation, environment, and audience. 

Shape (visual arts element) 

Organises space, represents form, and can be geometric (e.g. circles, squares, triangles) or organic (free-form, natural shapes). 

Sharp 

A symbol that means a note should be played slightly higher in pitch — just one step up from its usual sound. 

Siva Sāmoa  

A traditional Samoan dance performed with graceful hand and body movements. It expresses cultural stories, values, and identity and is often accompanied by music or singing. 

Soundscape  

A sequence of sounds, created by performers or other technologies, shaped to enhance action and mood in a drama. 

Solfa 

A system used to teach pitch and sight-singing in music. It uses syllables to represent the notes of the scale: do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti. Each syllable matches a specific step in the scale and helps singers learn how notes relate to each other. 

Space (dance) 

The area in which the dancer moves and how they use it. It includes direction, level, shape, pathway, size, and focus and helps convey meaning, structure, and dynamics within a dance performance. 

Space (visual arts element) 

The area around, between, or within objects in an artwork, used to create depth, perspective, and a sense of place. 

Split stage 

A drama convention where the performance space is divided into separate areas, allowing different scenes or actions to occur simultaneously. It is used to show contrast, parallel events, or different perspectives within a single moment of the performance. 

Staccato 

A form of musical articulation that sounds short, sharp, detached, or spiky. 

Staff 

A set of five horizontal lines and four spaces used in written music to show the pitch of notes. Each line and space represent a different musical note depending on the clef used. Notes are placed on the staff to show how high or low they sound. 

Storyboard 

A series of drawings or images arranged in order to show how a story will unfold. It is used to plan scenes in films, animations, or other visual projects. 

String 

A family of instruments that produce sound through the vibration of stretched strings, which may be plucked, bowed, or struck. String instruments include the violin, viola, cello, double bass, guitar, and harp and are used to create melody, harmony, and expressive musical textures. 

Stick notation 

A simplified way of writing rhythms using lines and symbols instead of traditional music notes. It shows the timing and pattern of sounds without using a musical staff, making it easier for beginners to read and perform rhythms. 

Structure (music) 

The way a piece of music is organised. 

Style (dance) 

The recognised manner or distinguishing way in which a dance is made and communicated and according to which it is interpreted; style is often associated with a particular performer, performance group, choreographer, or period. 

Syncopated 

A rhythmic technique in which the regular flow of musical rhythm is interrupted or disrupted, making a part or all of a piece of music off-beat. 

Symbolism 

The use of movement, imagery, actions, or sound to represent abstract meanings, emotions, or ideas beyond their literal form. 

Taonga pūoro 

Traditional Māori musical instruments. 

Tatau 

A traditional Samoan tattoo that uses symbolic patterns to express identity, heritage, and social status; often seen as a rite of passage and a visual connection to ancestors, culture, and community. 

Te ao haka 

A culturally responsive performance-based subject and artform that provides opportunities to engage in Māori culture, language, and traditional practice.  

Techniques (dance) 

Practised movement skills used to perform dance safely and expressively, including control, balance, coordination, and use of energy. 

Techniques (drama) 

Established ways of using voice, movement, and space to create meaning in performance. Examples include pitch, volume, gesture, facial expression, levels, and proximity. 

Techniques (music) 

Specific methods used to perform or create music, such as how instruments are played or how the voice is used to produce sound. 

Techniques (visual arts) 

Particular ways or methods of using a tool or materials to achieve a specific effect (e.g. using the point of a pencil to create a fine line, using a pencil sideways to create light and dark tones). 

Technologies (drama) 

Equipment that helps to create, present, explain, document, analyse, view, interpret, or learn about dramatic work (e.g. puppets, masks, lighting, props, sounds, costumes, recording equipment). 

Technologies (music) 

Equipment used to help create, present, explain, document, listen to, view, interpret, analyse, or learn about musical works, including electronic media and production technologies (mics, amps, backing track). 

Theme (music) 

The main musical idea or melody in a piece. It is often repeated or changed to help build the structure of the music. 

Tempo (dance) 

The speed of movement in a dance or performance. 

Tempo (music) 

The speed of the beat in music. 

Tension (drama) 

An element of drama in which mental pressure or emotional intensity is used to provoke a response, focus attention, or heighten involvement. 

Tension (visual arts) 

A sense of visual strain or unease created by contrast, imbalance, or opposing elements. It adds drama and draws the viewer’s attention. 

Ternary 

A three-part musical form with an opening section, middle section, and repeat of the opening section (ABA). 

Text (drama) 

Any expressive work (artistic or otherwise), using words, images, or sounds. 

Texture (music) 

How layers of sound work together; how many instruments or voices are playing at the same time and how they blend or interact. 

Texture (visual arts element) 

The way a surface looks or feels in an artwork. Texture can be real (something you can touch) or implied (created to look like a texture, using lines, shading, or patterns). 

Thumbnail sketch 

A small, quick drawing used to explore ideas, plan compositions, or test layouts before creating a larger or more detailed artwork. 

Tonality  

The key or scale a piece of music is based on. 

Tone (visual arts) 

The lightness or darkness of a colour, used to create depth, contrast, and mood in an artwork. 

Tone colour (music) 

The unique quality of a sound that makes it different from other sounds, even if the pitch and volume are the same. It is what distinguishes a violin from a flute or a voice from a piano. 

Tonic 

The first note of a scale; the ‘home’ note. 

Triad 

A chord made of three notes, built by starting on one note, skipping the next, playing the following, skipping one more, and playing the next. 

Transposing 

Changing the key or pitch of a piece of music so that it starts on a different note but keeps the same pattern of intervals. 

Tukanga 

Process or method. It refers to the way something is done, often with an emphasis on cultural protocols, values, and practices that guide how tasks are carried out. 

Tuned percussion 

Percussion instruments on which sounds of definite pitch can be played (e.g. timpani, xylophone). 

Untuned percussion  

Percussion instruments on which only sounds of indefinite pitch can be played (e.g. snare drum, wood block). 

Visual arts principles 

The guidelines used by artists to organise visual arts elements and produce artworks; see balance, harmony, rhythm, tension, and contrast. 

Visual diary 

A personal journal used by artists to record ideas, observations, and creative experiments through drawings, sketches, photos, notes, and mixed media. It helps track artistic development and explore inspiration over time. 

Waiata  

Māori songs used to express feelings, support others, teach te reo Māori, and bring people together. They can be traditional or modern and are often sung with rhythm, melody, and harmony. Waiata are used in schools, ceremonies, kapa haka, and everyday life. 

Waiata-ā-ringa 

A Māori action song that combines singing with hand and body movements to help tell a story or show meaning. 

Wairua  

The unseen forces that influence wellbeing and balance of performance and practice, deeply connected to relationships, the environment, and ancestry (e.g. respecting the wairua of the ākonga, speaking to the wairua of the ākonga, embracing the gifts of ākonga). 

Whakairo 

Traditional carving which preserves and conveys Māori knowledge, history, and whakapapa. 

Whakapapa 

Genealogy, lineage; a framework that details genealogy and maps relationships between all things. 

Whanaungatanga  

A sense of relationship, connection, and belonging. 

Wind 

A family of musical instruments that produce sound through the vibration of air, typically by blowing into or across a mouthpiece. Wind instruments include both woodwind (e.g. flute, clarinet) and brass (e.g. trumpet, trombone) instruments and are used to create melody, harmony, and expressive tone in music. 

Variation 

A repeated version of a musical theme that is changed slightly but still recognisable. It can be altered by changing the rhythm, pitch, tempo, or instruments.